A sudden SEC shock hit Raia on Monday as thousands of voters learned that the Raia Zilla Panchayat seat had been shifted from ST to ST Women. The first paragraph highlights how this SEC shock forced several candidates to drop out and pushed parties into last-minute changes. The correction created instant confusion and reshaped all poll plans for the December 20 election.
The notification stunned candidates who had already begun their campaigns. Many leaders had held ward meetings, planned outreach drives, and even introduced candidates publicly. With the new rule, several male contenders rushed to push their wives forward as fresh nominees.
The Goa Forward Party faced one of the biggest setbacks. Its original candidate, Luis Quadros, had already covered most parts of Raia. Party chief Vijai Sardesai confirmed that Luis’s wife will now contest the seat.
Three-time ZP member Dominick Gaonkar also decided to field his wife Fatima, who earlier held the seat when it had a women’s quota. He said she understands the constituency and enjoys strong support.
AAP suffered a complete halt in its campaign. Its candidate Luis Oliveira became ineligible overnight, and party leaders began searching for a suitable ST woman candidate.
The Congress also scrambled for a replacement after anti-coal activist Xavier Fernandes lost eligibility. The party now needs a strong woman contender to stay competitive.
